Human Oncology & Pathogenesis Program

The Piro Lito Lab

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Research

Piro Lito, MD, PhD
Piro Lito, MD, PhD
Enid A. Haupt Chair in Therapeutic Research

Our group studies the properties of oncoproteins that drive cancer cell growth, focusing on lung cancer and other solid tumors. We are interested in understanding how these are activated, their regulatory mechanisms, and how they modulate the behavior of cancer cells. To answer these questions we utilize small molecule inhibitors coupled with biochemical and genetic approaches in patient-derived cell line or xenograft model systems. We aim to provide insight into the fundamental processes that govern tumor biology and to identify therapeutic interventions that will prolong survival and improve the quality of life in patients with cancer. 

Research Projects

Lito Lab Group Photo

Featured News

In the Lab
Dr. Piro Lito
Potential Drug Shows Promise Targeting a Range of KRAS-Driven Cancers in the Lab
MSK investigators report exciting results for a new molecule that can block 16 different mutated forms of the KRAS protein. In the lab, the compound was effective against many cancer cell lines and in mouse models of lung cancer and colorectal cancer.
Finding
Yonina Murciano-Goroff, Jenny Xue, Bob Li, Piro Lito, and Yulei Zhao.
MSK Researchers Are Learning Why Some Patients Develop Resistance to Targeted Lung Cancer Drug
A paper from MSK researchers reports that resistance to sotorasib, a new targeted drug for lung cancer, can be caused by many different molecular changes.
In the Lab
Physician-scientist Piro Lito
Researchers Uncover New Findings about KRAS, an Important Protein in Cancer
Researchers have taken a closer look at what a protein called KRAS does in normal cells and how certain KRAS mutations lead to for cancer growth.

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Publications Highlights

Schulze C, Seamon KJ, Zhao Y, Yang YC, Cregg J, Kim DS, Tomlinson A, Choy TS, Wang Z, Sang B, Pourfarjam Y, Lucas J, Cuevas Navarro A, Ayala Santos C, Vides A, Marquez A, Zhong M, Vemulapalli V, Weller C, Gould A, Whalen D, Salvador A, Saldajeno-Concar M, Dinglasan N, Chen A, Evans J, Knox JE, Koltun ES, Li C, Singh M, Nichols R, Wildes D, Gill AL, Smith JAM and Lito P. Chemical remodeling of a cellular chaperone to target the active state of mutant KRAS. Science 2023 Aug 18;381(6659):794-799. doi: 10.1126/science.adg9652. Epub 2023 Aug 17. PMID: 37590355

Kim D, Herdeis L, Rudolph D, Zhao Y, Böttcher J, Vides A, Ayala-Santos C, Pourfarjam Y, Mantoulidis A, Wolkerstorfer B, Kroatisch KG, Sang B, Li C, McConnell DB, Kraut N and Lito P. Pan KRAS inhibitor selectively inactivates oncogenic signaling and tumor growth.  Nature. 2023 Jul;619(7968):160-166 31. doi: 10.1038/s41586-023-06123-3. PMID: 37258666

Zhao Y, Murciano-Goroff Y, Xue Y, Ang A, Lucas J, Da Cruz Paula A, Mai T, Sisk A, Arora K, Roy R, Kim D, Li C, Lim L, Li M, Bahr A, Loomis B, de Stanchina E, Reis-Filho J, Weigelt B, Berger M, Riely G, Arbour K, Lipford R, Li B and Lito P. Diverse genetic alterations associated with resistance to KRAS(G12C) inhibition.Nature. 2021 Nov 10; 599(7886):679-683. doi: 10.1038/s41586-021-04065-2 PMID: 34759319

Li C, Vides A, Kim D, Xue J, Zhao Y and Lito P. The G-protein signaling regulator RGS3 enhances the GTPase activity of KRAS. Science. 2021 Oct 8;374(6564):197-201 PMID: 34618566 

Xue JY, Zhao Y, Aronowitz J, Mai TT, Vides A, Qeriqi B, Kim D, Li C, de Stanchina E, Mazutis L, Risso D, Lito P. Rapid non-uniform adaptation to conformation-specific KRAS(G12C) inhibition. Nature. 2020;577(7790):421-5. doi: 10.1038/s41586-019-1884-x. PMID: 31915379

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People

Piro Lito, MD, PhD

Piro Lito, MD, PhD

Enid A. Haupt Chair in Therapeutic Research

  • Physician-scientist Piro Lito studies oncoproteins that drive cancer cell growth.
  • MD, PhD, Michigan State University
View physician profile
Physician profile

Members

Kathryn C. Arbour

Assistant Attending

Cuevas-Navarro
Antonio Cuevas-Navarro, PhD

Research Fellow

Feng Hu, PhD

Research Fellow

Dongsung Kim
Dongsung Kim, PhD

Research Associate

Camila Mafla-Gonzalez

Research Technician

Yonina Murciano-Goroff MD, DPhil

Assistant Attending

Yasin Pourfarjam
Yasin Pourfarjam, PhD

Research Fellow

Diego Rodriguez

Tri-I MD/PhD Student

Ben Sang, PhD

Research Fellow

Rohit Thummalapalli

Assistant Attending Physician

Alberto Vides, BS
Alberto Vides

Laboratory Manager

Aaliyah Washington

Research Technician

Jingjing Xie, PhD

Research Fellow

Ling Feng Ye, MD, PhD
Lab Alumni
Carlos Ayala Santos
Carlos Ayala Santos

Research Technician

Chuanchuan Li, PhD
Chuanchuan Li

Research Associate

Jessica Lucas
Jessica Lucas

Research Technician

Yaohua (Jenny) Xue
Yaohua (Jenny) Xue

Tri-I MD/PhD student

Yulei Zhao
Yulei Zhao

Research Associate

Lab Affiliations

Achievements

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  • Pew-Stewart Scholar for Cancer Research (2019)
  • Damon Runyon Clinical Investigator (2017)
  • The V Foundation for Cancer Research, Translational Research Award (2015)
  • LUNGevity Foundation, Career Development Award (2015)
  • NIH K08, Mentored Clinical Scientist Research Career Development Award (2015)
  • Stand up to Cancer Lung Cancer Dream Team, Young Investigator (2015)
  • Conquer Cancer Foundation, Young Investigator Award (2013)
  • Charles A. Dana Fellow/Clinical Scholar in Biomedical Research (2011)

Open Positions

To learn more about available postdoctoral opportunities, please visit our Career Center

To learn more about compensation and benefits for postdoctoral researchers at MSK, please visit Resources for Postdocs

Postdoctoral Positions

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Disclosures

Doctors and faculty members often work with pharmaceutical, device, biotechnology, and life sciences companies, and other organizations outside of MSK, to find safe and effective cancer treatments, to improve patient care, and to educate the health care community.

MSK requires doctors and faculty members to report (“disclose”) the relationships and financial interests they have with external entities. As a commitment to transparency with our community, we make that information available to the public.

Piro Lito discloses the following relationships and financial interests:

  • AmMax Bio, Inc.
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Biotheryx, Inc.
    Equity; Professional Services and Activities
  • Black Diamond Therapeutics, Inc.
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Boehringer Ingelheim
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Frontier Medicines Corporation
    Equity; Professional Services and Activities
  • Ikena Oncology
    Equity; Professional Services and Activities
  • Menarini Ricerche
    Professional Services and Activities
  • OrbiMed
    Professional Services and Activities
  • PAQ Therapeutics Inc.
    Equity; Professional Services and Activities
  • Repare Therapeutics
    Professional Services and Activities
  • Revolution Medicines
    Professional Services and Activities

The information published here is a complement to other publicly reported data and is for a specific annual disclosure period. There may be differences between information on this and other public sites as a result of different reporting periods and/or the various ways relationships and financial interests are categorized by organizations that publish such data.

This page and data include information for a specific MSK annual disclosure period (January 1, 2023 through disclosure submission in spring 2024). This data reflects interests that may or may not still exist. This data is updated annually.

Learn more about MSK’s COI policies here. For questions regarding MSK’s COI-related policies and procedures, email MSK’s Compliance Office at [email protected].


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